Milk...

Coincidently, I have given some thought to trying alternative milk sources and I have just so happened to come across this article in the Ecologist Magazine. I'm somewhat surprised that Soya is top of the list, however, it is definitely something I would recommend reading.

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/food_and_drink/847876/top_10alternatives_to_cows_milk.html

This suggestion however, is not something that is grabbing my partners attention as his response was.. 'I like milk!'... 

So that aside, give it a read ladies and gents and let me know your thoughts. Due to space limitations and the obvious permission from Mr Farmer, I am restricted in obtaining sheep or goats milk (other than buying from shops). 

So, going forward, as a trial, I am partial to attempting the almond or cashew milk. So, instead of buying it in, I'm going to attempt making it myself. I know some of you might be wondering, why not buy it in if you're buying the nuts however, I want to see whether it's going to get a thumbs up on taste before I look at methods of growing my own.

Bye Bye Bantams...

Sad day yesterday as Mr & Mrs Bucket have gone.

They have been relocated to an animal sanctuary called HACK in North Wales (http://www.hackonline.org.uk/). It's predominantly for horses but they do have quite a number of varied species living there too including other chickens. This way, they'll both be able to remain together and no longer cause problems with neighbours. It's probably worth noting that if you do intend to have chickens, even living on a farm has it's complications. Sad day.

Cushion sewing projects....

So I might have got a tad carried away here, but when you have excess material and your house needs softening up; what better way to do it than with home-made cushions. The only expense was buying some of the cushions (not all I'd like to add as some where just recovered) and it was an added bonus that the ones bought were actually in the sale.

The woollen striped fabric was itself made out of an actual recycled poncho. They may not be perfect but it's always a fabulous sense of achievement when having finished. Check out the pics of some examples made and let me know your thoughts.

Growing For Herbal & Culinary Use...

Not far from the boundaries of our paved backyard is a pond, of which, it is surrounded by grassland. It is here that my chickens live and where I eagerly attempt to grow my own veg. So, the plan is, just to reiterate my previous post, it would be fabulous to have an array of colourful wild flowers growing around the pond and behind the cottage. With approval and encouragement from Mr Farmer, the plan is on. This isn't an area that I am particular strong at so with the help from a reliable Welshman, the wheels are in motion. Check out the before pics so far and watch this space.

Successful Facial Care...

So I can confirm that my skin feels a lot healthier and softer after changing my regime. It was challenging initially. However, the easy part is just to keep it simple and think about what your skin needs. It is worth noting that you need to up your water consumption intake too and keep yourself hydrated.

My regime consisted of washing my face morning and night with an oil based soap. In this case I used Oliva Pure Olive Oil Soap (see pic).

Then with the aid of a damp cotton wool pad/ball, I'd spread the oil over my face and neck (again morning and night). It doesn't take long to soak in but it works a treat. Let me reiterate, I'm no scientist but this is something that works for me but if you'd like to check out more technical/scientific etc etc information, again, it is worth reading Pat Thomas' book about moisturisers and facial cleansing.

Good luck and let me know if you decide to give it a go. Happy reading.

Pet Food ...

For sometime I've been thinking 'what IS actually in the pet food I'm feeding my trusty felines'? Do we actually know whether its causing more harm than good? So, going forward and in taking a leaf out of my parents book, I want to change from the standard pre-packaged and tinned cat food and shift to something more home-made and trustworthy. This then raises the question as to what DO cats actually need in a healthy balanced diet. It might be worth reading this article from the ecologist in the meantime just to give you some insight... http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/home/268818/should_my_dog_eat_dog_food.html
So, suggestions welcome again ladies and gents and I'll keep you posted on what we plan to do.

SNAIL GEL.....

Ok, so I kind of made a mistake whilst out yesterday in Holland & Barrett purchasing the addictive plain choc coated ginger sweet treats. I happened to notice an interesting product called SNAIL GEL.. How can anyone after seeing that, not consider having a mooch in more detail. It is a product by De Tuinen and is supposedly aimed at helping support skin repair by using extracts of snail slime. The pic below is a tad blurred so check out the link too for more information: (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=869)

SNAIL GEL

Hmmmm... So, I was intrigued and somewhat hooked and thought, why not give it a go. However, don't be fooled, it isn't cheap and only after leaving the shop in shock of having spent over £40 for a few replacement foodie home bits, natural deodorant and snail slime I was perplexed at what had just happened. When rereading my receipt, I had realised I had been fooled and what I thought was marketed at under £5 was in fact £21.39. I'm not too sure whether this was my mistake but I can confirm that I have never spent so much on a beauty product in my life and considering the purposes of trying to live a much more self-sufficient life, it is certainly not something I would have chosen to do knowingly.

So, too embarrassed and in shock to return the product and my partner reiterating what a fool I was. I am now a self inflicted guinea pig for snail slime.... watch this space.

If the verdict is good, I think I'd rather go out collecting snails myself then spend silly money on a product in which I'm guessing most of the cost covers the packaging. Hmmm... I feel somewhat fooled!

Oils Oils Oils...

What a lovely surprise from Mr Postie and Aromantics when I got home. My two ordered oils have finally arrived. The Sweet Almond Organic Oil and Honey Moisturiser. No real need for buying both but I was just curious to try the two. As highly recommended by Mrs Badger, using oils is a healthy and natural alternative to using any other face products e.g. cleanser, toners and creams. If you read Pat Thomas' book it goes into further detail and explains all the science aspects. That I'll not bore you with. Verdict to follow.

Landshare...

This one is dedicated to 'Happy Jack' - I know some of you might be thinking it's easier for me to become self sufficient as I live on a farm, however, I want to raise awareness to the Landshare scheme that is open to everyone. It is a chance for those who have spare unused land to share and be brought together with individuals in need of space and land to cultivate and grow their own. You'll be surprised at how much is available out there. If in doubt, I certainly recommend just having a look at this website -  http://www.landshare.net/.
Happy Reading chaps and chapettes. :-)